Agency file

Education

Source file: Tennessee — State Employee Salaries / ingested Jun 18, 2026

The Education administers public education — funding, academic standards, and the operation of schools.

In 2026, this agency had 988 employees with median total compensation of $78,246; the highest distinct record was $285,378.

Year: 2026
Total payroll: $79.5M
Employees: 988
Median total: $78,246
Highest record: $285,378

What the records show

Compensation analytics

These summaries compare pay within the agency before listing individual records.

Salary distribution

$14,643$192,549+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How 2026 total compensation is spread across the 988 employees. Each bar is a pay range; taller bars mean more people earn in that range. The amber line marks the median ($78,246) — half earn less, half more. The far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Average pay composition

Base — $79,068 (98%)
Overtime — $0 (0%)
Other — $1,377 (2%)
Benefits — $0 (0%)

What an average paycheck here is made of — base salary versus overtime, other pay (bonuses, allowances), and benefits. A large overtime or other-pay share means take-home often exceeds base salary.

Pay percentiles

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$37,980

$55,320

$78,246

$96,997

$120,227

The pay ladder for this department. Someone at the 90th percentile earns $120,227 — more than 90% of the department; the 10th percentile earns $37,980. The shaded band is the middle half of employees (25th–75th percentile).

Largest job titles

Special Schools Teacher

152 · $80,966

Education Consultant 3

71 · $81,941

Education Consultant 2

69 · $66,326

Special Schools Education Assistant

51 · $35,615

Education Consultant 4

49 · $97,816

The most common job titles in this department by headcount, with the median total compensation for each. Click a title to see everyone who holds it.

Record list

Employees

Page 1

Sara Morrison

Sbe Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$285,378

Sub-department: TN State Board of Education
Base pay: $273,228
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $12,150
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $285,378
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: H

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $22,769
Employee ID: 363208

Sara Morrison holds the role of Sbe Executive Director at Education within TN State Board of Education. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $285,378.

Lizzette Reynolds

Commissioner 3/Education

2026 total comp

$278,448

Sub-department: Executive Administration
Base pay: $278,448
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $278,448
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: C Gonzalez

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $23,204
Employee ID: 627994

At Education, Lizzette Reynolds serves as a Commissioner 3 within Executive Administration. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $278,448.

Samuel Pearcy

Deputy Commissioner 1/Education

2026 total comp

$258,165

Sub-department: Performance Management
Base pay: $247,176
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $10,989
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $258,165
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $20,598
Employee ID: 415417

Samuel Pearcy holds the role of Deputy Commissioner 1 at Education within Performance Management. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $258,165.

Christy Ballard

General Counsel 2/Education

2026 total comp

$236,317

Sub-department: General Counsel
Base pay: $226,800
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,517
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $236,317
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $18,900
Employee ID: 143668

At Education, Christy Ballard serves as a General Counsel 2 within General Counsel. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $236,317.

Kristy Brown

Assistant Commissioner 2/Education

2026 total comp

$229,468

Sub-department: OCAO Executive Admin
Base pay: $219,732
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,736
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $229,468
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $18,311
Employee ID: 293329

At Education, Kristy Brown serves as a Assistant Commissioner 2 within Ocao Executive Administrative. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $229,468.

Tess Stovall

Tpcsc Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$225,015

Sub-department: Charter Commission
Base pay: $215,436
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,579
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $225,015
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $17,953
Employee ID: 432367

Tess Stovall holds the role of Tpcsc Executive Director at Education within Charter Commission. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $225,015.

Lori Paisley

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$210,953

Sub-department: Child Nutrition
Base pay: $202,116
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $8,837
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $210,953
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: J

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,843
Employee ID: 315629

At Education, Lori Paisley serves as a Education Senior Executive Director within Child Nutrition. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $210,953.

Jonathan Criswell

Assistant Commissioner 2/Education

2026 total comp

$208,250

Sub-department: Assessment and Testing
Base pay: $204,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,250
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $208,250
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: David

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $17,000
Employee ID: 232997

Jonathan Criswell works as a Assistant Commissioner 2 for Education within Assessment and Testing. Their status is full-time. Jonathan earned $208,250 in 2026.

David Laird

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$207,369

Sub-department: Accountability
Base pay: $202,428
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,941
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $207,369
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: C

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,869
Employee ID: 564032

David Laird is a Education Senior Executive Director at Education within Accountability. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $207,369.

Jaclyn O'Brien

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$203,583

Sub-department: Center of Regional Excellence
Base pay: $198,696
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,887
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $203,583
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: F

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,558
Employee ID: 548517

At Education, Jaclyn O'Brien serves as a Education Senior Executive Director within Center of Regional Excellence. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $203,583.

Deborah Knoll

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$203,048

Sub-department: College Career Technical Edu
Base pay: $194,544
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $8,504
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $203,048
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,212
Employee ID: 451124

Deborah Knoll is a Education Senior Executive Director at Education within College Career Technical Edu. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $203,048.

Trudy Hughes

Assistant Commissioner 1/Education

2026 total comp

$203,020

Sub-department: Federal Programs
Base pay: $194,544
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $8,476
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $203,020
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: D

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,212
Employee ID: 350714

Trudy Hughes is a Assistant Commissioner 1 at Education within Federal Programs. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $203,020.

Maryanne Durski

Assistant Commissioner 1/Education

2026 total comp

$201,373

Sub-department: Finance & Internal Operations
Base pay: $196,536
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,837
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $201,373
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,378
Employee ID: 383429

At Education, Maryanne Durski serves as a Assistant Commissioner 1 within Finance & Internal Operations. They work full-time. Their 2026 pay totaled $201,373.

Misty Moody

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$201,372

Sub-department: Early Childhood Education
Base pay: $196,536
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,836
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $201,372
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: M

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,378
Employee ID: 448800

Misty Moody is a Education Senior Executive Director at Education within Early Childhood Education. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $201,372.

Deborah Thompson

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$201,371

Sub-department: Federal Programs and Oversight
Base pay: $196,536
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,835
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $201,371
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: A

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,378
Employee ID: 276822

Deborah Thompson is a Education Senior Executive Director at Education within Federal Programs and Oversight. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $201,371.

Jennifer Jordan

Assistant Commissioner 2/Education

2026 total comp

$196,725

Sub-department: Special Education
Base pay: $192,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,725
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $196,725
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: T

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,000
Employee ID: 219496

Jennifer Jordan is a Assistant Commissioner 2 at Education within Special Education. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $196,725.

Robin Copp

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$196,724

Sub-department: School Improvement
Base pay: $192,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,724
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $196,724
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,000
Employee ID: 526610

Robin Copp holds the role of Education Senior Executive Director at Education within School Improvement. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $196,724.

Brooke Amos

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$196,724

Sub-department: Human Capital
Base pay: $192,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,724
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $196,724
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: Gail

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,000
Employee ID: 595067

Brooke Amos works as a Education Senior Executive Director for Education within Human Capital. Their status is full-time. Brooke earned $196,724 in 2026.

Christy Wall

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$196,719

Sub-department: Academic Offices
Base pay: $192,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,719
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $196,719
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: L

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $16,000
Employee ID: 612321

Christy Wall holds the role of Education Senior Executive Director at Education within Academic Offices. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $196,719.

Vijay Gollapudi

Education Student Data Administrative/Education

2026 total comp

$193,670

Sub-department: Technology
Base pay: $189,120
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $4,550
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $193,670
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $15,760
Employee ID: 545063

Vijay Gollapudi holds the role of Education Student Data Administrative at Education within Technology. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $193,670.

Nathan James

Sbe Deputy Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$192,549

Sub-department: TN State Board of Education
Base pay: $184,344
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $8,205
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $192,549
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: R

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $15,362
Employee ID: 341086

Nathan James holds the role of Sbe Deputy Executive Director at Education within TN State Board of Education. Their status is full-time. In 2026, their total compensation was $192,549.

Ginger Leach

Education Senior Executive Director/Education

2026 total comp

$189,614

Sub-department: Center of Regional Excellence
Base pay: $180,000
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $9,614
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $189,614
Employment type: Full-Time
Pay basis: Monthly
Middle name: S

Source-specific fields

Compensation Rate: $15,000
Employee ID: 261048

Ginger Leach is a Education Senior Executive Director at Education within Center of Regional Excellence. They work full-time. 2026 total compensation came to $189,614.